Student Blocks - Lesson 5

I have a couple of completed student blocks to share with you today.  These are from Lesson 5.  First is Maria's block:

This block is titled "The Bluebird Of Happiness".  I included a charted bluebird with this lesson.  Maria didn't have any waste canvas so she improvised and did her own beautiful bluebird!  Gorgeous!  All the elements are here including lovely mother of pearl buttons.  And look closely at Maria's lady bug!  From an issue of Pat Winter's Gathering magazine.

Next is the block that Cris did:

Absolutely stunning work!  You can see the charted bluebird that Cris used in the white patch.  Also, I see mother of pearl buttons and the beaded leaves as well as the detached chain flower.  All necessary elements are beautifully included in this beautiful block!

I'll post more photos as they come in.  In the meantime, I've started on Lesson 6 and expect to have everything ready to send to Jason by the end of the weekend.  As soon as it's ready, we'll get it uploaded.  I apologize for the delay but I'm still a bit out of sorts due to losing my Nightmare 2 weeks ago.  Has it been that long already?

I ran to Petsmart this morning to get Wrigley a little kitten collar.  I was so afraid of stepping on him since he's so little and usually under my feet.  Anyway, they had 3 black cats there up for adoption.  I told myself I wasn't going to look.  I was only going in for a collar.  But, the collar where by the kitty's.  One of those beauty's looked very much like Nightmare and I couldn't help myself.  I started crying.  Then I couldn't stop crying.  I gained enough composure to pay for my little collar and then sat in my car and cried for 10 minutes.

Anyway, Wrigley has a pretty little yellow collar now.  He hates it!  And the breakaway part works just fine.  He's pulled it off about 20 times now.

I took this photo of him the other day:

He blends right in with the Beanies, doesn't he?

PS - If you've never had a cat, we use Break away collars on them.  Since cats can jump and get into everything, if the collar gets caught on something, it pulls apart so they don't get hurt.

Crazy Quilt Christmas Ornaments

I finished up the Crazy Quilt Christmas Ornaments that I was working on:

I'm not working on anything at the moment but plan to start on Lesson 6 of my Crazy Quilt Class this week.

Embroidered Dog Pillows

I thought I'd share my Embroidered Dog Pillows with you today.  You may remember, before I lost Nightmare, that I was working on 2 of these.  Both are done now:

I think these are just too cute!

And speaking of too cute, here's today's photo of Wrigley:

He's the sweetest little kitten!  He was sitting on the windowsill.

I Know Mom! Sew What?

Thank You

Everyone, I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for all the wonderful messages you've sent to me regarding my loss of Nightmare.  It feels like having my arms ripped off my body.  But despite a lifelong heart condition, he lived a full life!  17 1/2 years.  He was my beautiful Bubbie (that was his nickname) and I miss him horribly but I couldn't expect anymore from him.  The kidney disease took over and there was nothing else I could do but let him go with the dignity that he deserved. 

Before Scott and I took him for his final visit to the vet, we got a photo of him with Wrigley.  I can't pull it off the camera yet, but I'm sure I'll be able to in another day or two.

Also, due to the loss of my Nightmare, there will be a little bit of a delay for the next installment of my Color & Composition Class.  I'll start working on that in another day or two.  Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Nightmare

Farewell Master, yet not farewell.

Where I go, ye too shall dwell.

I am gone before thy face,

a moment's time, a little space.

When ye come where I have stepped,

ye will wonder why ye wept.

Edwin Arnold

Nightmare Has Passed Away

I am saddened today to bring you the following news. Pam's nightmare has passed away. He lived a full life of 17 years. He lived a lot longer than the vet originally gave him. Please take a moment and send Pam your best wishes and support.

~Jason Dumont (Pam's Assistant)~

Wrigley

Here's a nice photo of Wrigley.  I just took it:

He's only been here 2 days but so far, he's a very good little kitten!  He hasn't bothered Nightmare and Lucy, he's doesn't seem to bother anything in the house, he plays with his little toys.  In fact, he's so cute.  He carries the little toy mice and birds around in his mouth.  I'm going to try to get photos of him doing that.

He wants to snuggle up to Lucy but she isn't quite ready for that yet.  There's less hissing from Nightmare and Lucy but it'll probably take a few more days before they warm up to him.

Elegant Cross Stitch Sentiments For Crazy Quilting

Just a quick reminder, because this weekend was a busy one, that my new book has been released!  

Elegant Cross Stitch Sentiments For Crazy Quilting can be found at Magcloud!

In other news, here a new photo of Wrigley:

He's laying on the chair under the kitchen table.  My Simba used to lay here just like this.

Welcome Wrigley

Scott and I adopted a little 3 month old kitten today.  This is Wrigley (after Wrigley Field in Chicago):

He's rather frightened but he's so sweet and gentle!  We'll be introducing Nightmare and Lucy to him shortly.  Right now, he's resting on the sofa with Scott.  They're be more photos soon.  I didn't want to overwhelm him with too many flashes at the moment.

In other news, Elegant Cross Stitch Sentiments For Crazy Quilting is now available!  Yeah!!!!

I'll have more photos of my new baby in the next day or so.  I just want him to relax and settle down a little bit.

Embroidered Westie Pillow

I sewed up my little Westie Pillow yesterday and added some yo-yo's and vintage mother of pearl buttons:

I used my reproduction vintage fabrics to border and back the pillow and a wide eyelet lace for a ruffle.  I didn't have enough fiberfill to stuff it and I didn't feel like running to WalMart yesterday so I'll pick some up over the weekend and I'll post another photo when it's completely done.

I was asked if I would stitch another one so I'll be tracing the design and stitching it again over the weekend. 

Embroidered Westie

My aunt asked me to make her a pillow with an embroidered West highland Terrier Dog.  I dug through my very large collection of vintage iron on embroidery patterns and I found this one.  It's a little Scottie dog but I altered the shape of the face a little bit and crayon tinted it:

I have a whole box full of reproduction 30's - 40's prints so I'll use some of them to finish this pillow.  I'll be sewing it up this afternoon!

Stitching Halloween Cats

If you've been reading my blog for a few years, you know I have a tendency to be all over the map!  I just from one thing to another and go back and forth like crazy.  There is a method to my madness but you probably don't see it.  That's okay, if you're amused by me, I'm doing my job!

My Christmas ornaments are just about done.  I need to put the little do-dads on the bottom and then I can post photos.  I expect to do that over the weekend.

In the meantime, I've started on a few Halloween Cats.  This is the first.  I finished stitching him up this morning:

This little black cat doll is one of 3 that I'm doing for Bowl Fillers.  I'll be putting pumpkins with him and we'll have to see what else I come up with!

In other news, I just wrote the introduction and Copyright pages for my upcoming book and sent the files off to my assistant Jason:

We're getting real close on this!

Also on my list of upcoming projects is Lesson 6 of my Color and Composition Classes.  I have a cool theme picked out for this one so stay tuned.  I'll let you know when I have a release date for that.  I expect it to be around the end of May.

Finally for today, I went grocery shopping and decided that I'd better have a box of Purina Kitten Chow here.  Scott has vacation time next week.  We're not going anywhere.  I'm hoping to get him to work on my house.  Anything!  Maybe he can clean and reseal the driveway.  But we may look for a baby kitty.  We'll see.

Shabby Cottage Roses

I thought you'd like to see one of mom's latest stitched pieces.  This is a hanging pillow with Shabby Cottage Roses:

I believe the embroidery pattern is from my collection of vintage designs.  I share with mom and I know she has some of her own so I'm not entirely sure. 

In other news, we're still looking to adopt a kitten.  We've checked with our vet's office numerous times and they haven't had any kittens come in yet.  We've checked with the various shelters in our area and to be honest, we're not thrilled with some of their policies.  Scott and I both feel that neutering a cat at 2 or 3 months old is just too young.  We understand why they do it and I'm certainly a firm believer in spay/neuter but that just seems too young.  It doesn't look like we'll have a choice though.

My vet's office called this morning and suggested that I check with Animal House Shelter in Huntley Illinois.  It seems that's the shelter they recommend so Scott and I will go there.  I've already filled out the adoption application and a lady called me just a little while ago to say that we've been approved.  So, sometime in the next couple of days, Scott and I will go up there.

It's very hard for me to do this.  Not to adopt a kitten but with so many that need a good home, it's just hard.  And quite frankly, I wouldn't be doing this if Garfield and Simba were still here.  I guess I can't think about adopting another kitty without thinking about them.  But I can't have them back so we have to give a new baby a good home.  I'll keep ya'll posted.

Crazy Quilt Blocks for Christmas Ornaments

I finished up the 3 crazy blocks I was working for Christmas ornaments.  Well, I finished the stitching but I still have to sew them together:

This one took me a little bit longer than the others because I did the tatted Christmas tree myself and then sewed it on and beaded it.

 I also did the tatted lace myself on the blue block.  I have a ton of vintage tatting but I like to do my own now and then so I don't forget how to do it!

And then here's the one you saw the other day:

I have these pretty little ornaments to hang from the point at the bottom of these pieces.  I found them at Michael's before Christmas last year:

I had planned on sewing these together today but I don't think I can squeeze one more thing in.  Maybe I can sew them up in the morning.

Vintage Greeting Cards

I'm almost done with my 3 Crazy Quilt Christmas ornaments and will have some more photos to share over the weekend.

In the meantime, I thought I'd share a pretty printable with you:

This image is from my personal collection of vintage greeting cards.  Just right click on it, save it to your hard drive and feel free to use it for your crazy quilts and other craft projects!